This is an extremely misunderstood statement of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) by his opponents. It needs to be seen properly in context with all of his writings rather than one single one.
The Promised messiah(As) has written about Isa(As) being alive in the heavens in his writings in three different categories.The first one is shirk, the second one is mabda-e-shirk, and the third munjir-ala-shirk.
He used these three different words about the belief of the life of Jesus(As).
The belief of Isa(As) is explained through the usage of the two second words. Usage of these words tell us that Ahmad(As) has not declared the belief of Isa(as) being alive in the skies as shirk rather whenever he uses the word shirk for this belief, this was based on mabda-e-shirk and munjir-ala-shirk.
According to these words the belief itself is not shirk, however the belief and spreading of this corrupt belief is what causes shirk to appear. Wherever he called it shirk al azeem, he is referring to it leading to shirk al azeem as his other writings show us. He has called it shirk al azeem in the same way grapes are called wine in the Qur’an which will be proven as we move forward.
In a higher education status it is called majaz-e-muztir(basic situation and reasons)
For example grapes are halal in itself as a fruit and not haram. But the juice which is made out of grapes and then prepared as a alcohol or wine it is haram.
Allah states:
And with him there entered the prison two young men. One of them said, ‘I saw myself in a dream pressing wine.’ And the other said, ‘I saw myself in a dream carrying upon my head bread of which the birds are eating. Inform us of the interpretation thereof; for we see thee to be of the righteous.(Chapter 12 Verse 37)
However, the Arabic word used is not of grapes rather of wine, although grapes are pressed and not wine. The scholars of that time said that he was juicing the grapes and juice of grapes becomes alcohol and that is why grapes are the reason or cause of alcohol although in reality it is not alcohol. This is why grapes are halal and not haram but as a result of the grapes alcohol is made and that is haram.
This is why Ahmad(as) has used the rule of majaza-e-mursil which is explained in that verse of Surah Yusuf. The belief of Isa(as) being alive in heavens itself is not shirk, but leads to shirk. This belief of Jesus(as) due to its deficiencies creates the belief of shirk which is why Ahmad(as) declared it as a shirk. Although it is not in reality a shirk.
The mullahs take the sayings completely out of context. Ahmad(as) where he has written that this belief is shirk has continually repeated that it is mubad and munjir-ala-shirk being it takes you to shirk rather than shirk itself.
Ahmad(as) has clarified the true meaning of it leading to shirk rather than the concept or belief itself being shirk. He stated in Toufa Golraviyya on page 99 which is Ruhani Khazain volume 17:
This is a belief which leads one to shirk. Ahmad(as) has further stated in Ahmadi or Ghair Ahmadi Main Kia Faraq Hay? In regards to mabda-e-shirk:
This is a belief which leads to shirk but in itself is not shirk as some people misunderstand. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) has beautifully explained this concept throughout his writings but sadly the anti Ahmadis read one alone. Where Ahmad(as) has called it shirk is the exact same way where the Qur’an has stated the pressing of wine example when in reality it’s the pressing of grapes which took place. The outcome of the pressing of grapes leads to wine. Ahmad(as)s books should be read in context which these anti Ahmadis claim to do, but then at the same time they such say lies. This has been proven by many passages of the Promised Messiah(as) that this is mabda-e-shirk rather than the belief in reality being shirk itself.
Another allegation is that the anti Ahmadis state that this means all sahaba committed shirk since they believed Isa(as) is alive. This is totally false as all sahaba believed Isa(as) died and this was also the belief of Muhammad(saw).
Here is a famous Incident narrated in Bukhari, which is obviously not the saying of Muhammad(Saw) but an incident which took place on his death and proves the ijmaa of the sahaba was that all of the messengers before the Holy Prophet (saw) have already died.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى فَرَسٍ مِنْ مَسْكَنِهِ بِالسُّنْحِ حَتَّى نَزَلَ، فَدَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلَمْ يُكَلِّمِ النَّاسَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ، فَتَيَمَّمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ مُغَشًّى بِثَوْبِ حِبَرَةٍ، فَكَشَفَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ أَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَبَكَى. ثُمَّ قَالَ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي، وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ مَوْتَتَيْنِ، أَمَّا الْمَوْتَةُ الَّتِي كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْكَ فَقَدْ مُتَّهَا. قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، خَرَجَ وَعُمَرُ يُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ اجْلِسْ يَا عُمَرُ، فَأَبَى عُمَرُ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ. فَأَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ وَتَرَكُوا عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَمَّا بَعْدُ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يَعْبُدُ مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا قَدْ مَاتَ، وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ حَىٌّ لاَ يَمُوتُ، قَالَ اللَّهُ {وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {الشَّاكِرِينَ} وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَكَأَنَّ النَّاسَ لَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ حَتَّى تَلاَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، فَتَلَقَّاهَا مِنْهُ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ فَمَا أَسْمَعُ بَشَرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ يَتْلُوهَا. فَأَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ أَنَّ عُمَرَ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ إِلاَّ أَنْ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ تَلاَهَا فَعَقِرْتُ حَتَّى مَا تُقِلُّنِي رِجْلاَىَ، وَحَتَّى أَهْوَيْتُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ حِينَ سَمِعْتُهُ تَلاَهَا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ مَاتَ.
Narrated `Aisha:
Abu Bakr came from his house at As-Sunh on a horse. He dismounted and entered the Mosque, but did not speak to the people till he entered upon `Aisha and went straight to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) who was covered with Hibra cloth (i.e. a kind of Yemenite cloth). He then uncovered the Prophet’s face and bowed over him and kissed him and wept, saying, “Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you. By Allah, Allah will never cause you to die twice. As for the death which was written for you, has come upon you.”
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Abu Bakr went out while `Umar bin Al-Khattab was talking to the people. Abu Bakr said, “Sit down, O `Umar!” But `Umar refused to sit down. So the people came to Abu Bakr and left `Umar. Abu Bakr said, “To proceed, if anyone amongst you used to worship Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead, but if (anyone of) you used to worship Allah, then Allah is Alive and shall never die. Allah said:–“Muhammad is no more than a messenger, and indeed all messengers have passed away before him..(till the end of the Verse )……Allah will reward to those who are thankful.” (3.144) By Allah, it was as if the people never knew that Allah had revealed this Verse before till Abu Bakr recited it and all the people received it from him, and I heard everybody reciting it (then). Narrated Az-Zuhri: Sa`id bin Al-Musaiyab told me that `Umar said, “By Allah, when I heard Abu Bakr reciting it, my legs could not support me and I fell down at the very moment of hearing him reciting it, declaring that the Prophet (ﷺ) had died.”(Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Hadith 733)
The mujadids as well did not commit shirk as the belief itself is not shirk. The belief of Isa(as) being alive in the heavens came years after the sahaba, in fact 300 years after the sahaba.
Some ask why the belief of Ahmad(as) changed. Firstly his earlier belief was not off of revelation rather revelation was in regards to the death of Isa(as).
We have to understand that a prophet only says a claim once Allah has told him as the Quran tells us:
[Nothing is said to thee but what was said to the Messengers before thee. Thy Lord is indeed the Master of forgiveness; and also the Master of painful chastisement.(Chapter 41 verse 44)
They speak not before He speaks, and they act only by His command.(Chapter 21 verse 28)
The reason this belief leads to shirk is clear. The Christians converted thousands and thousands of Muslims. The Christians would simply ask them who is better, a prophet who has died or a prophet who is alive in the heavens? The Muslims had no answers to this. They would often quote a incident of a boat. If there are two boats and one is being lead by someone who is alive, and the other by someone who is dead, which boat would you choose? These questions had the Muslims confused and caused many to go astray.
The Qur’an for example is clear that a human cannot go to the heavens. Allah states:
Or thou have a house of gold or thou ascend up into heaven; and we will not believe in thy ascension until thou send down to us a book that we can read.’ Say, ‘Holy is my Lord! I am not but a man sent as a Messenger.’And nothing has prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them save that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a man as a Messenger?’(Chapter 17 Verses 94-95)
This shows us that no human being can go to the heavens physically. Such arguments were used by the Christians that if Isa(as) is in heavens he cannot be human. But it is clear from the Qur’an that he has indeed died a natural death. Allah Has called the belief of Jesus (as) being a son of God the greatest fitna by Stating:
The heavens might well-nigh burst thereat, and the earth cleave asunder, and the mountains fall down in pieces,(Chapter 19 Verse 91)
Now in regards to a prophets views being changed, this is totally normal in the history of prophets.
We also have many example from the Life of the Prophet(sa) where he said one thing at first but After Allah revealed to him his statement would change. Here are some examples:
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ مَا يَنْبَغِي لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى ”.
Narrated `Abdullah:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “None has the right to say that I am better than Jonah bin Matta.”(Bukhari, Volume 60 Hadith 127)
Agreed that this statement was possibly said in regards to the humility of the Prophet Muhammad(saw) but one cannot say he was not humble when he stated he was Khataman Nabiyeen according to Allah and when he had stated:
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُدْعَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ فَخْرَ وَبِيَدِي لِوَاءُ الْحَمْدِ وَلاَ فَخْرَ وَمَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ يَوْمَئِذٍ آدَمُ فَمَنْ سِوَاهُ إِلاَّ تَحْتَ لِوَائِي وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ تَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الأَرْضُ وَلاَ فَخْرَ ” . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْحَدِيثِ قِصَّةٌ وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Narrated Abu Sa’eed:
that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “I am the master of the children of Adam on the Day of Judgement, and I am not boasting. The Banner of Praise will be in my hand, and I am not boasting. There will not be a Prophet on that day, not Adam nor anyone other than him, except that he will be under my banner. And I am the first one for whom the earth will be opened for, and I am not bragging.”(Bukhari Volume 1, Book 46, Hadith 3615)
Another incident is the Qibla changing. For majority of the life of the Holy Prophet(saw) he prayed towards the Qibla of the Jews but later Allah decided to switch it to the Holy Ka’ba. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this and the belief of Isa(as) being alive in the heavens is not shirk in itself, rather leads to shirk as the example of Qur’an was given with the story of the wine incident.
In reality Ahmadi Muslims do not attribute shirk to any prophet, rather it is the Sunni tafseer which do.
Maulvi Sanaullah Amritsari has stated:
“As we taught Ibrahim this idea, likewise, before that, we used to show him the sovereignty of all the heavens and earth and taught him that the whole world, i.e, whatever is in the heavens and in the earth, is working under a great power. None of them is permanently effective. We showed and taught him all these because by relecting upon them he may become a perfect believer and avance step by step. Therefore, by this principle Ibrahim Kept on advancing. The detail of this synopsis is that one day, when he had an argument with his father, he continued to ponder the whole day that whom should he consider the Lord of the world. When darkness of night prevailed over him and he saw a bright star, he said “Probably this is my lord” But as he was in the process of seeking, when the star set, he realized that rising and setting is a kind of embarrassment, which is not worthy of the Lord of the Worlds. He said that he does not like those who take gods who set down. Then , soon after that he exclaimed, by seeing the shining moon, that probably this is his lord. But when it also disappeared in the morning behind some mountain, he said that he is severely mistaken and if his lord does not guide him he may become among the misguided people. Then, after that when, in the morning, he saw the illuminating sun he said that probably this is his lord because it is very big. But when it also set, he said “my brothers! People of my nation! I can clear of that which you associate with God”
This is the non Ahmadi tafseer while we claim he did not do shirk at all rather was showing the people how such things cannot be taken as lords and explained it through a beautiful method, as he was a really smart prophet.
Now I will end the answer to this issue with some beautiful words of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) himself:
“These are the divine Revelations which I have already noted on the afore-mentioned pages of Baraheen-e-Ahmadiyya; which explicity as well as implicitly, connotes my humble-selfs being the Matheel-e- Maud. Albeit, it was not resolved in Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya on the basis of divine revelation as to what is the real truth regarding the advent of Hazrat Messiah Son of Mary(as), as people are waiting for, that he will get out of the paradise and, with his hands resting on the shoulders of the angels, he will literally descend from the heaven to the eart. Instead, whatever I have written in regarding the second coming in this world of Messiah son of Mary, it was written in light of the celebrated well-known and commonly held belief, to which the contemporary thinking of my Muslim brothers is inclined. Thus, it was only in the context of this apparent belief, that I had written that: I am only matheel-e-mauood, and my caliphate is simply a caliphate in the spiritual sense; but when the Messiah will come, he will have vicegerency that will be both explicit as well as physical. This statement, which was made in braheen-e-Ahmadiyya was in accord that a recipient of Revelation must observe the basic following of the related traditions of his Prophet. This is so, because those who are recipients of Revelations from God the exalted, they do not speak without being spoken to, and they do not comprehend without the comprehension that is provided to them, and they do not make any claim unless they are so commanded; and they, of their own accord, are not capable of taking any daring initiative. For the same reason our Holy Prophet(saw) used to prefer to follow the religious faith- traditions of the People of the Book, up until he would receive a divine revelation in regard to the observance of certain acts of worship. And right from the time of receiving such a revelation and learning about the truth, he would abandon the earlier practice. Thus, in accordance with this, no discussion was undertaken in Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya, from my own point of view, about Hazrat Messiah son Of Mary. But now that God the exalted has manifested the reality of this matter to my humble self, then it become absolutely imperative to make a general proclamation of it (Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain vol 3 page 196-197)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) has stated :
“There is no contradiction in my sayings. I only follow the revelation of God Almighty. Until I had no knowledge about it, I used to say what I said in the beginning. And when I received knowledge from Him I said against it. I am a human being and do not claim to be knower of the unseen. This is the actual matter, anyone may accept it or not. (Haqīqatul Wahī Ruhani Khazain. Vol-22, P-154)
It has been made clear that the Promised Messiah(as) did not commit shirk nor did any prophet unlike the non Ahmadi tafseer have claimed.